BACKGROUND: Within a few minutes, a madman shot and killed 26 innocent children and school staff at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Connecticut on December 14, 2012. Ironically the same day, a madman in China attacked 22 students with a knife at Chenpeng Village Primary School indicating any weapon can be used. Reports show the violence inflicted upon our schools has been increasing. On June 10, 2014 a school shooting occurred at Reynolds High School in Troutdale Oregon, killing a student and injuring a teacher. On October 1, 2015 8 students and 1 professor was killed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg Oregon. Most recently, on February 14, 2018, 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida were shot and killed. Schools can be targeted because of easy accessibility, unarmed and defenseless children and staff, and lack of adequate security and law enforcement presence. Schools can be specifically chosen because of the ability to inflict mass casualties. Terrorists, both local and abroad, know that schools are soft targets. It is time for change.

GOAL: The goal of this proposal is to develop a balanced approach to reduce violence inflicted upon our schools. Although it is not possible to prevent or predict all attempts of violence, it is possible to develop a comprehensive Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement model to deter schools from being the target, reduce the easy accessibility, and increase protection of innocent children and school staff.

PROPOSAL (updated 3/2/18): Research shows to reduce violent crime we must be comprehensive in our approach. Our focus is on three key areas: Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement.

PREVENTION

Restricted and reinforced main entrance in every school

A) All traffic routed through main entrance with goal of locking people out, not locking people in
B) Main entrance and lobby has bulletproof glass with hardened doors operated by office secretary
C) All visitors ID checked, and badge worn by approved visitors before entering the school

All side doors and classroom doors kept shut and locked. Children trained to not let others in.
A) Students are free to exit, but persons cannot enter without going through secured main entrance
B) Teachers will no longer have to act quickly in shutting and locking doors in case of emergency

Trained and armed law enforcement at every school
A) School Resource Officer and/or qualified trained school staff of Veterans, Retired LE, Police Reserves
B) Enforcement staff trained in crisis management, hostile situations, realistic training scenarios, defense training, firearms qualification on gun range, and legal ramifications of using deadly force
C) All enforcement staff registered and approved by school district & law enforcement (full time, backup, and volunteers)
D) Some enforcement staff may be in civilian clothes so unknown to public how many security on site
E) Enforcement staff have a valid/verified Concealed Weapons Permit and approved to carry their
weapon on site by School District
F) Enforcement staff may be paid or volunteer

Removal of “Gun-Free Zones” policies and signage
A) This will increase awareness that some persons on site are armed
B) Provides deterrent for individuals who would take advantage of citizens in gun-free zones*Enforcement Goals: Immediate response to protect children and staff if intruder is in school, Prevents schools from continuing as easy targets, Strongest deterrent for violence

OTHER
We understand each school is different. Therefore, it may have different school safety measures to address. Other ideas may include, but are not limited to: Hidden panic buttons in school classrooms, 2-way intercoms, every classroom to have a window that opens to the outside for emergency evacuation, bulletproof windows and hardened doors added throughout the school, strategically placed weapon lockboxes, metal detectors, scan-able student and staff ID cards, Raptor program, ALiCE Training.

Our society values protection of courthouses, banks, insurance companies, television stations, police departments, airports, legislators and our President. We value the safety and protection of our students and staff in schools as our top priority and request the ability to partner to implement as many strategies of the School Safety Proposal as possible.